More Progress and Partnerships at Penrose Playground!

For over nineteen months the UCCP has been working in the community surrounding Temple’s campus. Most of the work has been centered on Penrose Playground, in an effort to bring more activities and resources to the community. Work in the community began this year on MLK Day of Service by coordinating over 120 volunteers to clean and paint the Rec center and organize the library and supplies at the Playground. The UCCP also coordinated and hosted an event to celebrate the inauguration of president Obama and in April, the UCCP helped coordinate 100 Hours of Power in partnership with City Year and Teens for Good. During the summer we helped community leaders plan the 24th Camac/Diamond annual reunion. With UCCP’s support, organizations like Starfinder, Drexel School of Medicine and the Department of Public Dental Health at Temple University donated their time and came to provide free HIV testing, dental health related information and soccer activities for children in the community.

This Fall, the UCCP ran activities for children on the after school program including Karate, Dance and Craft making. For the holidays, two of our interns serving as Penrose Ambassadors organized a very successful Toy Drive and donated all the toys to the Playground to celebrate the holidays. Currently the UCCP is partnering with YouthBuild Charter School to do some needed renovations at the Playground. These renovations would take place before and during MLK Day 2010. Stay tuned for more developments!